Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary Exhibition Opens in Tokyo With VR Ride and Rare Materials
The exhibition pairs a VR ride with never-before-seen development materials from the first game, offering a rare look at the series' origins alongside its modern presentation.
Key Facts
- The exhibition runs from July 17 to September 6, 2026, at Tokyu Plaza Harajuku "Harakado" in Tokyo.
- Weekday adult tickets cost 3,800 yen; weekend and holiday tickets cost 4,000 yen.
- The VR ride uses Meta Quest 3 headsets and motion seats to simulate riding a Killer Panther.
- The exhibition includes never-before-seen development materials from the first Dragon Quest game, including producer's notes.
- An Osaka venue is planned for early spring 2027.
Reporting from 3 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), Game Spark, Inside.
The Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary Exhibition "Dragon Quest the DIVE -A Journey to an Unseen Adventure-" opens July 17 at Tokyu Plaza Harajuku "Harakado" in Tokyo, running through September 6. Organized by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation and Square Enix, the event centers on the "Dragon Quest VR RIDE," an immersive attraction using Meta Quest 3 headsets and motion seats that simulates riding a Killer Panther through the series' world. Creator Yuji Horii called the VR experience "real" and said the immersion is "incredible." Voice actress Yui Ogura voiced the guide character Homita, recording with ad-libs and attention to presence. Beyond the VR ride, the exhibition includes interactive exhibits such as the "Mirror of Ra," which reflects visitors as monsters using face tracking, and a "Thrilling Treasure Chest" that randomly reveals items. On the 2nd floor, the "40th Anniversary Exhibition 'How Dragon Quest Was Born'" displays never-before-seen development materials from the first game, including producer's notes. A collaboration restaurant runs on the 5th floor. Tickets are 3,800 yen for adults on weekdays and 4,000 yen on weekends and holidays. An Osaka venue is planned for early spring 2027.
The exhibition spans three floors of the Harakado building: the main VR attraction and interactive areas on the 4th floor MAZE, the rare materials exhibit on the 2nd floor COVER, and a limited-time collaboration restaurant on the 5th floor FAMiRES. The "Dragon Quest VR RIDE" uses motion seats designed to minimize motion sickness, with wind and grass effects hitting riders' feet. After the ride, visitors receive an "Adventure Log" admission bonus at the Castle Area, then proceed through Field Area monster photo spots, a touchable King Slime, and the Town Area's "Monster Petting Research Lab" where guests can feel monster parts. The "Mirror of Ra" uses face tracking to transform reflections into monsters and provides a personality diagnosis. The 40th Anniversary Exhibition on the 2nd floor includes original drawings by Akira Toriyama and musical scores by Koichi Sugiyama, with photography prohibited in that area. The official store sells exclusive merchandise including Homita plushies, Adventure Book pin badges for each mainline entry, and collaboration items like Umaibo snack bags. Technical cooperation came from Omnibus Japan, PROTOTYPE, and Brogent Technologies, with special sponsorship from HP Japan and HyperX.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GAME Watch (Impress) 「ドラクエ」40周年記念展「ドラゴンクエスト the DIVE -まだ見ぬ冒険の舞台へ-」が本日7月17日より東京で開催
- Game Spark VR体験だけじゃない！勇者気分で『ドラクエ』世界にひたる40周年記念展に、「おお！まだいってないとは なにごとだ！」【ドラゴンクエスト40周年記念展「ドラゴンクエスト the DIVE -まだ見ぬ冒険の舞台へ-」フォトレポート】
- Inside VR体験だけじゃない！勇者気分で『ドラクエ』世界にひたる40周年記念展に、「おお！まだいってないとは なにごとだ！」【ドラゴンクエスト40周年記念展「ドラゴンクエスト the DIVE -まだ見ぬ冒険の舞台へ-」フォトレポート】